The present invention relates to drinking containers and, in particular, to drinking containers designed for controlled release of liquid, such as hot beverages.
There are a variety of situations in which an individual consuming a hot beverage is concerned with spillage of the beverage from the container. One commonly encountered situation which is potentially quite dangerous concerns parents of small children who consume hot beverages while such children are in their presence. This potentially dangerous situation arises because children have a tendency to reach out and grasp objects located in their proximity. Specifically, a parent who pours himself or herself a hot beverage, for example, into a typical coffee mug, and then leaves such mug on a counter or table within reach of his or her child, has created a situation quite dangerous to the child. More specifically, if the child grasps for the mug containing the hot beverage, it is most likely that the entire contents of the mug will be spilled on the child, thereby scalding the child, before the parent has time to react.
Additionally, the elderly, who may have difficultly in consuming beverages because of coordination, depth perception or other debilitating conditions, are prone to scalding themselves while drinking a hot beverage from a conventional cup or mug. Further, those individuals who consume hot beverages while operating or riding in a motor vehicle are also prone to scalding themselves due to spillage of the beverage from the container. In this situation, the scalding of the individual could potentially lead to an automobile accident if such individual is operating the automobile.
The prior art has attempted to address these problems by providing drinking vessels with structural features designed to prevent spillage of liquid. For example, the "Sippy Cup" for toddlers is provided with a lid having holes which permit sipping from the cups. The configuration of the cup, however, is such that liquid is easily consumed by removal of the lid. Moreover, the holes of the "Sippy Cup" are of a size and shape which permit relatively unrestrained passage of liquid therethrough. Thus, the "Sippy Cup" permits relatively free spillage when turned on its side or upside down, and does not discourage the user from drinking with the lid removed. Furthermore, the "Sippy Cup" is not designed to be used with hot liquids.
Another feature found in drinking cups of the prior art is an expanded-bottom which supposedly prevents spillage of liquid while traveling in a vehicle. However, these "Travel Mugs," as they are commonly called, do not possess any feature which prevents liquid from spilling out of the mug when tipped over or held upside down, nor do they have a design which prevents sloshing liquid from splashing out of the mug.
In recent years, disposable cups have also been provided with removable plastic lids which have a perforated cut-out that can be removed by the user to form a single drinking spout. The drinking spout, however, is quite large and permits unrestricted flow of fluid from the cup when tipped over. Moreover, these removable plastic lids readily separate from the lip of the cup, particularly when a force is exerted against the wall of the cup. Finally, disposable drinking cups are easily tipped over.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a safety drinking container which overcomes the drawbacks associated with drinking cups of the prior art.